Ever since he was a child, Aditya had hated the rains. Not only did the dull gloomy weather give him a horrible headache, it also dampened his mood. A feeling of suffocation used to engulf him the moment the dark clouds loomed over the skies, all ready to pour over the parched earth.

He used to watch his friends clap and jump with joy when the sparkling drops of water with their grandeur fell to moisten the arid land. But for him it was some kind of torture that he was being subjected to. The very sight used to make him feel low …it was as if the rain like shards of glass pierced through his heart and stole his spirit.

On such morbid days, it was a common sight to see Aditya either spending the entire day in bed, or sitting all by himself, lost in thought about the most obscure things. The monsoons were his biggest enemy. A vague sense of irritation, frustration and other negative emotions used to consume him. It was like a curse that had been cast upon him for life.

But today it was different. As he sat by the window of the bedroom of his rented accommodation, a strange sense of joy seemed to seep through his heart. He placed his finger on the window and gradually traced the path of a water droplet as it made its way from the top to the bottom of the window pane. He could instantly feel the goosebumps on his hand. His lips quivered, but he somehow enjoyed the entire sensation.

He gazed at the silver showers intensely, trying hard to locate each drop of water as they landed gently from the skies above. His heart started beating with excitement. A strong urge grew in him that kept repeating, “Make the move Adi. Go for it.”

Unable to control his emotions any further, Aditya dashed out of his house barefoot into the road. He stood there with his arms wide open, his head tilted up and eyes closed. A slight smile emerged on his lips. He could feel it. He felt his spirits become one with that of the heavenly waters. He stood there trying to soak in the merriment while images of his friends clapping and enjoying moved rapidly in front of his eyes.

He had done it. He had broken the curse and befriended the enemy. The shackles of the torture he had been subjected to were broken. A deep feeling of pure joy, and peace descended upon him. He was no longer scared. He knew now that there was nothing that could come between him and perpetual happiness.